Background Early detection of sepsis in neonate is one of the most difficult problems facing neonatal care providers and clinicians today. The ability to early diagnosis or rule out neonatal sepsis results in to limit inappropriate antibiotic exposure and lowering the cost of therapy.

This study was conducted to determine the value of some laboratory test in early detection for neonatal septicemia. Besides this, we wish to know the comment causal organisms for neonatal sepsis in our situations.

Aim To determine if any laboratory tests can predict neonatal sepsis prior to positive blood culture.

Method Is a cohort prospective study. Rule in, admitted children ages < 28d in our NICU during 2011, with suspected infection. Based on clinical and biological findings, diagnoses were categorized in: A: proven sepsis(positive blood culture) B: probable sepsis(negative blood culture but laboratory consist with sepsis. C: clinically sepsis without any positive culture or laboratory abnormalities.

The validity of laboratory tests which had performed as sepsis work-up, were compared against positive blood culture as gold standard test.

Results The most common causative organisms were E.coli (50%). Among laboratory tests, CRP had the best sensitivity(84.12%) and negative predictive value (91.3%), but poor positive predictive value (59.5%), the specificity of it was 74.46%. WBC, I/T>0.2, and segments >10% have high specificity to rule out sepsis.

Conclusion No laboratory tests alone can be used as early detection of septicemia accurately.